Funk Guitar Chords?

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bongolation

bongolation

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I love the various chord discussions that come up here from time to time and have learned a lot from them.

I have noticed that funk guitar seems to be a whole different instrument, with chords I just don't seem to hear anywhere else, the fingering of which is far from obvious to me.

So, while I'm looking for a red-sequined jumpsuit, rhinestone platform knee-boots and growing a righteous afro, can any funk guitar fans here share some of their classic groove chords?:)

Thanks!
 
A nice progression played in sixteenths....

------x------- | ------6------- | ---x------x----|------x-------
------6------- | ------7------- | ---6-----7----|------6-------
------6------- | ------8------- | ---5-----7----|------6-------
------x------- | ------9------- | ---6-----8----|------x-------
------6------- | ------x------- | ---x-----x-----|------6-------
------x------- | ------x--------| ---x-----x-----|------x-------

Eflat(min)sus2-Amaj7--Bflat7/9---Bflat aug----Eflat(min)Sus2


Okay more of a jazz progression really...but listen to Moloko's 'Sing it Back' and you'll know what I mean. Alot of the chord shapes in funk seem to only make sense with the bass-line playing as wel I find...
 
I have been recently learning how to harmonize a major scale, which is primarily jazz theory, but it applies well to funk too.

Root: Maj7
II: min7
III: min7
IV: Maj7
V: Dom7
VI: min7
VII: min7flat5 (diminished)

All moveable chords (many other voicings available)

Maj7----min7---Dom7---min7flat5
|xxx----|0----|0xx-----|xxx
|0xx----|0----|0xx-----|0xx
|x0x----|0----|x0x-----|x0x
|x0x----|0----|0xx-----|x0x
|xxx----|x----|xx0-----|xxx
|Rxx----|R----|Rxx-----|xRx

NOTE: the R (root) for each chrod form is the root for the chord, not the root of the scale (ie for scale G, you would play Gmaj7, Amin7, Bmin7, CMaj7, Ddom7, Emin7, Fmin7flat5), so you need to start (on 6th string) at fret 3, fret 5, fret 7, fret8, fret 10, fret 12, fret 14 and play the appropriate shape at each fret).
 
I haven't listened to a ton of true funk, but I'm a big fan of the Chili Peppers who tend to be pretty funky. John Frusciante seems to use alot of inverted chords on the first three or four strings. As a result, the bassline is pretty important as PapillonIrl mentioned. Here are some examples:

e--7- -10- -12-
B--7- -9-- -13-
G--7- -9-- -12-
D---- ---- ----
A---- ---- ----
E---- ---- ----

I really like playing this stuff, but these kinds of riffs don't make great "guitar" songs. Without the bassline, they can be kind of boring sometimes, IMO. If you have a bass player handy then they are alot of fun to play.
 
Also... isn't a wah pedal pretty much required to play funk? :cool:
 
Not straight funk but....

I went to exactly one class at the Los Angeles Music Academy two years ago and the class I sat in on was "funk 101" or something along those lines.

That day, they were going over this riff and it always stuck with my for it's simple groove.


Good Times
Chic (Nile Rodgers on guitar)

e-----7----7------------------------------
b-------------10-10-10-10---9-9-9-9-
g-------------9--9--9--9----9-9-9-9----
D------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------
E-7-7--------------------------------------

Based on Bmajor.
 
1. Don glitter-encrusted shades with star-shaped lenses.

2. Form three note chords on the G B and high E strings based on pentatonic scales.

3. Play staccato, syncopated rhythms.
 
Funk chords

Generally there are two approaches to funk rhythm, either a minor or major direction. The minor is based around the dorian mode (2nd step of any major scale). funk minor chords tend to be m7 and m6 extensions. The major funk is based around the mixolydian mode (5th mode of any major scale) and is built around dominant chords such as dom7, dom9, dom11 and dom13 chords. An extremely common major funk progression uses just dom7 chords and uses the intervallic formula of I-IV-V. For example In the key of E: E7 - A7 - B7

Now if you know any theory you should know that dom7 chords only appear on 1 step of any major scale (5th or mixolydian step) 'so how do i improvise over this rhythm?' you may ask. well for example over the E7 you'd use E mixolydian, over the A7 you'd use A mixolydian and over the B7; B mixolydian. There are other scales you could use, just experiment.

Generally funk players use 16th note rhythms, muting with the left hand.
Wah helps alot too!
Wah your balls off
 
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